A Reader's Paradise

You will find this remarkable library situated in the South Side of Chicago, near the site of the future Obama Library. Artist Theaster Gates saved this early 20th century structure, the former Stony Island Trust Bank, from demolition to create this Chicago landmark, the Stony Island Arts Bank. Gates bought the building for $1 from Chicago with the vision of restoring it as a cultural hub—a place for free arts and cultural programming. To me, this room was by far the most impressive. The library is full of items from John H. Johnson, the founding publisher Ebony and Jet magazine, a the record collection from DJ Frankie Knuckles, and more. To preserve a connection to the history of the building, the bank's peeling paint and damaged ceiling tiles have been preserved as is. It's beautiful to see this shuttered bank transformed into an institution celebrating black artists, a repository for African American history, and a place where people can really feel the palpable history of the South Side.

Huashan 1914

Huashan 1914. Taipei, Taiwan. August 2017.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park is an artistic enclave in the heart of Taipei. This complex was restored and reopened as a multi-purpose creative space in 2005. The buildings were originally part of a large wine factory opened in 1914 to produce sake, ginseng wine, and breed moth orchids. After switching hands several times, the Taiwan Council for Cultural Affairs took control of the complex and started a complete reconstruction of it. The Creative Park is now home to traveling art exhibitions, painters, writers, wood carvers, theatre groups, directors, as well as an event space. When I visited, the park was hosting seperate exhibitions on Gaudi's architecture, Paul Smith's studio, and an exhibition of Nathan Sawaya's work, oh, and numerous photo shoots, of course.